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cnbc.com
The NFL just wrapped a record-breaking season. Here’s why next year’s going to be even bigger
In the days leading up to the Super Bowl, the NFL announced that Paris, Melbourne and Rio de Janeiro will host regular-season games for the first time.
theguardian.com
Starmer’s options in funding a further defence spending rise would be limited
Competing domestic priorities, Treasury borrowing limits and already nervous lenders are among the many obstaclesKeir Starmer has few options if he wants to increase annual defence spending by up to £14bn before the end of this parliament.In last summer’s spending review, the government set out plans to increase defence spending from 2.3% of national income, or gross domestic product (GDP), in 2024-25 – about £66bn, to 2.6% in 2028-29. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
European markets close higher as investors digest key points from Munich Security Conference
Stock markets in Europe began the week in positive territory after edging lower on Friday.
cnbc.com
AI chatbot firms face stricter regulation in online safety laws protecting children in the UK
"The action we took on Grok sent a clear message that no platform gets a free pass," U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Sunday.
cnbc.com
French prosecutors are investigating companies like Nestle and Danone over contaminated baby formula. Here's the latest
A crisis over contaminated baby formula reached a flashpoint as Paris' public prosecutor said it opened investigations into five companies making it.
bbc.com
'Significant' personal tax allowance rise on cards
The treasury minister prepares to deliver a budget with a "significant rise" in personal allowances.
theguardian.com
KPMG partner fined for using artificial intelligence to cheat in AI training test
Firm says person fined A$10,000 is one of over two dozen staff in Australia caught using AI in exams since JulyBusiness live – latest updatesA partner at the consultancy KPMG has been fined for using artificial intelligence to cheat during an internal training course on AI.The unnamed partner was fined A$10,000 (£5,200) for using the technology to cheat, one of a number of staff reportedly using the tactic. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Former Carillion chief fined by FCA for role in misleading investors
Watchdog reduces Richard Howson’s fine to £237,700 after he withdraws challenge to punishmentThe former boss of the construction company Carillion has been fined by the UK’s financial watchdog for his role in misleading investors before its collapse eight years ago.The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) fined Richard Howson £237,700 after Carillion’s ex-chief executive withdrew his challenge to the regulator’s punishment. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Here’s how much athletes at the 2026 Winter Olympics get for winning medals
For athletes at the ongoing 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics, a podium finish can come with six-figure checks.
bbc.com
Royal Mail letters sit undelivered 'for weeks' as parcels prioritised, staff say
Staff and customers tell the BBC prioritising parcels can mean missed NHS appointments and late payment fines.
theguardian.com
Volkswagen aims to cut costs by 20% by 2028 in restructuring plan, report says
Plant closures possible as part of German carmaker’s efforts to create resilience in face of competition from ChinaBusiness live – latest updatesVolkswagen plans to cut costs by 20% by 2028, with plant closures not ruled out, as part of an effort to reshape the company in the face of increasing competition from China, according to reports.The German automotive company’s chief executive, Oliver Blume, and its finance chief, Arno Antlitz, are said to have presented a plan for “massive” savings at a meeting of the company’s top executives last month. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
The US is merely the latest to join the global rush to hoard critical minerals
JD Vance is seeking to create a ‘trading bloc’ as shortages and climate crises mean a kaleidoscope of rare earths are increasingly jealously guardedThe announcement by the US vice-president, JD Vance, that the country is seeking to create a new critical minerals “trading bloc” is a final, exotic, nail in the coffin of the old global trading system. The era of mass abundance, as supplied by unfettered free trade and global markets – “neoliberalism” – is over. We live in a new world of strategic competition between states over scarce but essential resources, with shocks to supplies from human activity and natural disasters an ever-present risk.This means recalibrating how we think about our economy: the new economic fundamentals today are resource constraints and climate and nature crises, and these, rather than human activity, will increasingly shape the world we inhabit. Flows of finance and stocks of wealth will matter less than stocks and flows of real material resources. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Britons feeling ‘dismal’ about finances amid mounting debts, survey finds
Consumer confidence at its lowest level in two years, as young people in particular face money pressuresBusiness live – latest updatesThe mood among UK households about their finances is “dismal”, according to research which suggested consumer spending remains sluggish and debts are mounting.Consumer confidence in the UK is running at its lowest level in two years, a survey by S&P Global found, as households worry about their debts, their future financial prospects, and their savings. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
China's tech shock threatens the U.S. AI monopoly and is 'just getting started'
"You could see easily a world where maybe most of the world's population is running on a Chinese tech stack in five to 10 years time," one analyst told CNBC.
theguardian.com
Lloyds investigating after using staff’s bank account data in pay talks
CEO Charlie Nunn tells employees that issue ‘created some concern’ but insisted ‘we definitely have listened to it’Business live – latest updatesThe boss of Lloyds Banking Group has told staff that it is investigating a controversial decision to use employee bank account data during pay talks with unions last year.In a town hall meeting open to the bank’s 64,000 staff at the start of February, Charlie Nunn conceded that the move “obviously has created some concern” but tried to assure workers that “we definitely have listened to it”. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Spud truck handing out free meals to families
The truck is supporting those who can not afford meals outside of school term-time.
cnbc.com
What's next for Cuba? Trump turns the screws as the island runs out of jet fuel
Cuba’s government appears to be on the brink of economic collapse amid a worsening energy crisis.
bbc.com
Lloyds boss accepts concern over use of staff data in pay talks
The bank was criticised for comparing employees' spending habits to the wider public as part of wage negotiations.
bbc.com
Brewdog staff 'upset and concerned' by sale plans
Unite said workers had been left in the dark over their futures after the craft beer firm announced plans to explore new investment.
bbc.com
ByteDance to curb AI video app after Disney legal threat
Videos featuring Spider-Man and other characters which are Disney's intellectual property have gone viral since Seedance's update.
theguardian.com
Warner Bros Discovery weighs new sale talks after fresh Paramount offer
Board considering whether to re-engage in move that could prompt a second bidding war with NetflixBusiness live – latest updatesWarner Bros Discovery (WBD) is reportedly weighing reopening sales talks with Paramount Skydance, in a move that could spark a fresh bidding war with Netflix for the Hollywood film and TV company.Members of the board of WBD are discussing whether to re-engage with Paramount, which is pursuing a hostile $108.4bn (£76.8bn) cash takeover directly with shareholders in a bid to derail an agreed deal with Netflix, according to Bloomberg. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Trump eyes Venezuela visit – but obstacles to his oil plan remain
The US president wants American energy firms to start extracting the crude but they are reluctant.
theguardian.com
Royal Mail blames bad weather and sickness for late deliveries
Strain on service means rounds are missed on a daily basis and parcels are prioritised over letters, says reportBusiness live – latest updatesRoyal Mail has blamed stormy weather and too many workers being off sick after complaints over missed delivery rounds and late letters.The strain on the postal service has meant rounds are missed on a daily basis and letters have been left undelivered for weeks, according to the BBC, which cited reports from more than a dozen Royal Mail postal staff at different delivery offices. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Altman and Pichai among tech CEOs heading to India for major AI summit in a key market
India has a market of young, tech-forward consumers and a huge pool of talent which could be key to continued development of AI.
cnbc.com
Crypto is playing a growing role in human trafficking networks, report shows
A report from a blockchain analytics company has found that cryptocurrency is playing a growing role in suspected human trafficking activity.
theguardian.com
Amazon van gets stuck on Britain’s ‘most dangerous’ mudflat path
GPS led driver on to the Broomway in the Thames estuary, where dozens of people are known to have died An Amazon delivery van got stuck trying to drive along one of Britain’s most dangerous coastal paths as the driver followed GPS directions on to mudflats to try to get to an island in the Thames estuary used by the military, the coastguard has said.Rescuers were called to reports the van had been driven out on to the Broomway – a 600-year-old pathway across the flats to Foulness Island that has been called the deadliest in the country. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Cuba suspends annual cigar festival as U.S. oil blockade deepens energy crisis
The postponement comes as the island nation's communist-run government endures its biggest test since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
cnbc.com
Some European policymakers welcome U.S. Secretary of State Rubio's warm words, others remain cautious
Rubio's comments at the Munich Security Conference struck a softer tone than Vice President JD Vance's at last year's event.
cnbc.com
ByteDance says it will add safeguards to Seedance 2.0 following Hollywood backlash
ByteDance has said it will work to strengthen safeguards on a new AI video-making tool, following copyright concerns and legal threats from Hollywood.
theguardian.com
TikTok creator ByteDance vows to curb AI video tool after Disney threat
Videos created by new Seedance 2.0 generator go viral, including one of Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt fightingBusiness live – latest updatesByteDance, the Chinese technology company behind TikTok, has said it will restrain its AI video-making tool, after threats of legal action from Disney and a backlash from other media businesses, according to reports.The AI video generator Seedance 2.0, released last week, has spooked Hollywood as users create realistic clips of movie stars and superheroes with just a short text prompt. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
BrewDog sale plan leaves some ‘equity punk’ investors steaming
About 220,000 people could be left empty-handed if a deal prioritises the company’s private equity backerBrewDog’s army of “punk” shareholders have voiced anger and frustration after the Scottish brewer confirmed plans for a possible sale that could render their investments worthless.So-called “equity punks” who spoke to the Guardian or posted on BrewDog’s shareholder forum expressed disappointment and accused the company, which has traded on its upstart ethos, of treatment “bordering on contempt”. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
CNBC Daily Open: Rubio reassures Europe while U.S. CPI calms investors
Both U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and consumer inflation readings were sources of comfort.
theguardian.com
Rural drivers to face steepest bills under UK’s mileage-based electric vehicle tax
Analysis reveals big regional disparities as critics say Labour’s proposed levy could slow uptake of EVsDrivers in the south-west of England would pay nearly four times as much as those in London as a result of Labour’s mileage-based tax on electric cars, according to analysis of official data.The 3p-a-mile road charge, announced in the autumn budget and due to take effect in 2028, is expected to raise £1.1bn a year, partly offsetting the loss of fuel duty revenues as drivers switch from petrol to electric vehicles. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Why did I get a £100 parking fine when charging my electric car?
The charger firm claimed the site operated 24 hours a day, but the parking operator had different ideasI charged my electric car at the 24-hour Mer EV charging station in my local B&Q car park.I then received a £100 parking charge notice (PCN) from the car park operator, Ocean Parking. It said no parking is allowed on the site between 9pm and 6am. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Schools project to understand impact of poverty
A six-month listening exercise has taken place, giving support and advice to parents.
cnbc.com
OpenClaw creator Peter Steinberger joining OpenAI, Altman says
OpenClaw, the open source AI agent that's surged in popularity in recent weeks, will live within OpenAI, according to a post on X from Sam Altman.
bbc.com
Never mind cod, it's tilapia and chips please
Two fish and chip shops in Fenland are trying lesser known varieties of fish as cod prices soar.
theguardian.com
What technology takes from us – and how to take it back – podcast
Decisions outsourced, chatbots for friends, the natural world an afterthought: Silicon Valley is giving us life void of connection. There is a way out – but it’s going to take collective effortBy Rebecca Solnit. Read by Laurel Lefkow Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Much ado about nothing? TikTok's U.S. usership steadies after turbulent start
TikTok's U.S. joint venture seems to have survived a turbulent rollout relatively unscathed, as concerns of a mass user exodus now appear overstated.
cnbc.com
Epstein files fallout: The high-profile people burned by past dealings with a predator
Jeffrey Epstein killed himself in a New York City federal jail in 2019. But more than six years later, people are still losing their jobs because of him.
bbc.com
Bedding firm backs down on 'Swift Home' trademark after Taylor Swift appeal
Swift’s team had flagged similarities between her trademark and the company’s contested design.
bbc.com
The £10 tricks I used to make my rented room into a home
Talented tenants share decor hacks that won't cost you a fortune - or your deposit.
cnbc.com
Japan's economy avoids technical recession, but fourth-quarter rebound misses expectations
Japan's economy grew 0.1% in the fourth quarter of 2025 compared to the previous three months, avoiding a technical recesssion
cnbc.com
Australia’s Qube Holdings’ shares jump to record high on Macquarie-led $8.3 billion takeover deal
The offer represents a 27.8% premium to Qube's closing price on Nov. 21, the final trading day before the company announced it had entered an exclusivity process.
cnbc.com
CNBC Daily Open: Muted U.S. CPI and cooling tensions with Iran give investors some comfort
The U.S. consumer price index on Friday stateside provided some balm to investors, who have been singed by drops in the market because of AI-related fears
cnbc.com
Warner Bros. may reopen sale talks with Paramount following new deal terms, Bloomberg reports
Warner Bros. board members are weighing whether Paramount's sweetened bid may result in a better deal or prompt Netflix to up its offer, Bloomberg reports.
cnbc.com
Trump trade adviser Navarro says administration may force data center builders like Meta to 'internalize' costs
Data centers powering artificial intelligence have strained the electrical grid and driven utility costs higher for consumers.
bbc.com
Andrew's time as trade envoy should be investigated, says Vince Cable
The former prince's alleged actions were "totally unacceptable", the ex-business secretary says.
theguardian.com
The Guardian view on AI: safety staff departures raise worries about industry pursuing profit at all costs | Editorial
Cash-hungry Silicon Valley firms are scrambling for revenue. Regulate them now before the tech becomes too big to failHardly a month passes without an AI grandee cautioning that the technology poses an existential threat to humanity. Many of these warnings might be hazy or naive. Others may be self-interested. Calm, level-headed scrutiny is needed. Some warnings, though, are worth taking seriously.Last week, some notable ground-level AI safety researchers quit, warning that firms chasing profits are sidelining safety and pushing risky products. In the near term, this suggests a rapid “enshittification” in pursuit of short-term revenue. Without regulation, public purpose gives way to profit. Surely AI’s expanding role in government and daily life – as well as billionaire owners’ desire for profits – demand accountability. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Gender pay gap won't close for another 30 years, warns trade unions group
The average woman employee "effectively works for 47 days of the year for free," according to the Trades Union Congress.
cnbc.com
In bitcoin price plummet, ETF flows are down but aren't signaling 'crypto winter' investor panic
As the price of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies has crashed, exchange-traded funds have seen outflows, but ETF selling doesn't look like investor panic.
theguardian.com
Welsh munitions factory seen as crucial to boosting UK stockpiles and aiding Ukraine is yet to open
Exclusive: Delay at Glascoed is latest setback for armed forces and for UK’s capacity to supply shells to UkraineA new factory in Wales seen as crucial to boosting UK munitions production remains unopened more than six months after its planned launch, adding to a string of delays dogging the armed forces.The explosives facility at Glascoed, south Wales, was expected to bring a 16-fold increase in Britain’s capacity to make artillery shells, replenishing dwindling stock and increasing supplies for Ukraine. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Even amid rising economic uncertainty, now is not the time to hug your job | Gene Marks
In a rapidly changing job market, it’s not necessarily good for workers to cling to their current employmentAfter all the employee protests over the past few years – the “great resignations”, the “quiet quittings”, the “bare-minimum Mondays” and “coffee badgings” – we have finally arrived at “job hugging”.Amid all the economic uncertainty and the rising costs of everything, people aren’t feeling as confident as they once were. Instead of slacking off while you hunt for something better, everyone’s scared about losing their jobs. With all the news about big corporate layoffs and the ominous and still-undefined threat of AI, it’s understandable that people are hugging their jobs. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Starmer has chance to put overseas aid and debt relief on G20 agenda | Heather Stewart
Reclaiming Labour’s internationalist heart could also stop disillusioned voters drifting towards Lib Dems and GreensIf Keir Starmer wants to win back disillusioned voters deserting his party for the Liberal Democrats or the Greens, he could do worse than rediscover Labour’s longstanding moral commitment to international development.Since cutting the overseas aid budget to fund higher defence spending – losing the excellent Anneliese Dodds in the process – Labour has had little to say on the subject, aside from the fact that 0.3% of national income is the new normal. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Trump touts climate savings but new rule set to push up US prices
Critics accuse administration of ‘cooking the books’ by claiming US would save $1.3tn from climate finding reversalThe Trump administration claims its latest move to gut climate regulations and end all greenhouse gas standards for vehicles will save Americans money. But its own analysis indicates that the new rule will push up gas prices, and that the benefits of the rollback are unlikely to outweigh the costs.On Thursday, the president and his environmental secretary, Lee Zeldin, announced the finalized repeal of the endangerment finding, a legal determination which underpins virtually all federal climate regulations. He claimed the rollback would save the US $1.3tn by 2055. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Weight-loss race: how switch from injections to pills is expanding big pharma’s hopes
Tablets could make treatment more mainstream, with sector predicted to be worth $200bn by end of the decade“I just felt slow: I want to be able to do anything my kids want to do and not have weight be a factor. Even a ride or a water park – things have weight limits,” says Melody Ewert, 44, from Minnesota.Ewert has just switched from Eli Lilly’s Zepbound weekly injection to Novo Nordisk’s new daily Wegovy pill. Analysts believe the arrival of easy-to-take tablets could push weight-loss treatments further into the mainstream in a year that has been described as “pivotal” for the booming anti-obesity market. The new pills, like the jabs, mimic the gut hormone GLP-1 that regulates appetite. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
UK’s gender pay gap ‘won’t close for 30 years’ at current rates
Trades Union Congress says women have worked a month and a half for nothing this year and legislation is neededWomen in the UK will not be paid the same as men until 2056 at the current rate of progress, according to a Trades Union Congress report.The gender pay gap, which stands at £2,548 a year, means that women have in effect worked for nothing so far this year, the TUC said. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Global week ahead: Markets brace for more AI noise and 'scare trading'
Looking back at last week's volatility could gives some clues for the trading week ahead.
theguardian.com
Firm that went bust owing £650k to HMRC offers staff Las Vegas trip after being bought by ex-owner
Acquisition by Premier Group Recruitment boss Andrew Woosnam appears to be example of ‘phoenixism’A recruitment business that went bust owing the tax authorities and other creditors almost £3m has promised to send its staff on an all-expenses paid trip to Las Vegas after being repurchased by its former owner for an initial £10,000.Premier Group Recruitment went into administration in September with debts of £2.9m – including £647,000 owed to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), which had commenced enforcement proceedings against the company. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Shattered dreams: Why the battle for Sunderland’s glass centre has turned into a political flashpoint
Custodian University of Sunderland says renovation costs of £45m are too high and building must be pulled down. Not without a fight, say locals, who believe they’re being taken for foolsThe “little pieces of Sunderland” produced by the city’s glassmaking factory for more than a century can be traced back to an even older story that began in the seventh century, when English glassmaking began at a monastery beside the River Wear, run by abbott and later saint Benedict Biscop.In 2007, the Pyrex factory that opened more than 100 years earlier and made glass that found its way into millions of homes closed down, with production moved to France. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Brushing fraud: Britons told to beware of mystery parcels as new scam soars
Fraudsters use stolen personal details to send out products, then post a fake verified and positive online reviewA package arrives but you can’t remember ordering anything.When you open it, you find some cheap, flimsy jewellery. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘It makes no sense’: the battle over plans for a windfarm by the Yorkshire Dales
The fight for Hope Moor is set to be repeated across the UK as the government aims to hit its renewable energy targetsInstead of a slingshot, the Davids are brandishing a sculpture and a coffee table book. Their Goliaths are a Norwegian energy company and a UK energy secretary with renewable targets to meet.A fierce battle has begun over one of England’s tallest windfarms, proposed for deep peat moorland overlooking the Yorkshire Dales national park, in what residents say will mark the irrevocable industrialisation of their rural landscape. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Could Manchester be a model for the UK to kickstart growth?
With an annual growth rate of 3.1%, Manchester's economy has performed twice as well as that of the UK as a whole.
theguardian.com
Record 1,000 UK taxpayers under 30 earned more than £1m last year
HMRC figures show 11% rise in young million-pound earners, with influencers and tech pay cited as keyTheir generation is often derided for being work-shy, self-centred and overly sensitive. But when it comes to making money, people under 30 are proving they are something else entirely: successful.A record 1,000 taxpayers under 30 earned more than £1m last year, an 11% increase on the year before, HMRC records show. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Berkshire CEO Abel praises Kraft Heinz for turnaround on planned split
Berkshire Hathaway's new CEO likes the surprise course reversal announced this week by the new CEO of Kraft Heinz.
cnbc.com
Lunar New Year gives luxury brands a chance to win back big spenders in China
The Chinese luxury market is expected to turnaround this year, but Western brands can't afford to be complacent, analysts said.
bbc.com
Craft beer maker Brewdog put up for sale
Consultants Alix Partners have been brought in to oversee the sales process which could lead to the businesses being broken up.
theguardian.com
UK migration could be negative this year – how will that hit the economy?
Universities, builders and health trusts are feeling the squeeze, as thinktank says effect of zero net migration could be similar to Brexit‘It’s been life-changing’: young Britons on why they left the UKWhen Greenwich and Kent universities said this month they would merge to save money, the heart of their financial difficulties could be found in the UK government’s crackdown on immigration.Tough restrictions on foreign students have sent the number of university applications from abroad plummeting, cutting lucrative tuition fees and leaving all universities facing the same squeeze. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Learn this from Bezos and the Washington Post: with hypercapitalists in charge, your news is not safe | Jane Martinson
His shameful stewardship of a once great title highlights how much we lose when private interest eclipses the public goodNot long after being made Time magazine’s Person of the Year in 1999, Jeff Bezos told me: “They were not choosing me as much as they were choosing the internet, and me as a symbol.” A quarter of an increasingly dark century later, the Amazon founder is now a symbol of something else: how the ultra-rich can kill the news.Job cuts in an industry that has struggled financially since the internet came into existence and killed its business model is hardly new, but last week’s brutal cull of hundreds of journalists at the Bezos-owned Washington Post marks a new low. The redundancies that were announced to staff on a video call, the axing of half its foreign bureau (including the war reporter in Ukraine) – not since P&O Ferries have layoffs been handled so badly. Former Post stalwart Paul Farhi described a decision that affected nearly half of the 790-strong workforce as “the biggest one-day wipeout of journalists in a generation”. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Pension annuity sales hit record as average pot exceeds £80,000
Rachel Reeves’s inheritance tax changes encourage more people to invest in previously unloved product The government’s “inheritance tax raid” on pensions has helped drive sales of retirement annuities to new highs.Industry data this week revealed they enjoyed a “record-breaking” 2025, with sales growing by 4% to £7.4bn and the average amount invested in an annuity surpassing £80,000 for the first time. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘My husband burned down our house – then the bank threatened repossession’
A family struggled to rebuild their lives after an abusive marriage ended in tragedy and financial ruinFamily life ended for Francesca Onody on a late summer evening in 2022 when her abusive husband doused their cottage with petrol as police arrived to arrest him. She and her children escaped seconds before the building exploded. Her husband Malcolm Baker died in the blaze.That night, Onody lost her husband, her home, her pets and her possessions. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
It's been a big — but rocky — week for AI models from China. Here's what's happened
New AI models launched by China's biggest players underscore how the country's companies are keeping up with the U.S.
bbc.com
Andrew facing claim he shared Treasury document with banking contact
Reports suggest the former prince shared a Treasury document when he was serving as trade envoy.
bbc.com
Heathrow not crowded but people walk in 'wrong place', says boss
Chief executive Thomas Woldbye says Europeans and Brits keep "crashing into each other" because they walk on different sides.
bbc.com
Amazon's Ring ends deal with surveillance firm after backlash
A Super Bowl advert had sparked new scrutiny of the smart doorbell company's privacy practices.
bbc.com
Inflation eases in US as prices for used cars fall
Prices rose by 2.4% in the year to January, the latest official figures show, the slowest pace since May.
bbc.com
Head of Dubai-based ports giant quits after Epstein links revealed
Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem’s exit comes after files showed he appears to have exchanged hundreds of emails with Epstein.
theguardian.com
AI is indeed coming – but there is also evidence to allay investor fears
Opinions are divided about the potential impact of artificial intelligence as the response to a recent viral essay showsUK ad agencies undergo biggest exodus of staff as AI threatens industryThe message from investors to the software, wealth management, legal services and logistics industries this month has been clear: AI is coming for your business.The release of new, ever more powerful AI tools has coincided with a stock market slide, which has swept up sectors as diverse as drug distribution, commercial property and price comparison sites. Advances in the technology are giving increasing credibility to predictions that it could render millions of white-collar jobs obsolete – or, at least, eat into the profits of established companies. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Why you should consider switching bank accounts
Martin Lewis explains why now might be a good time to think about changing your bank account.
cnbc.com
Safe-haven currencies might not be so safe after a volatile year. Here's how the market is rethinking the Swiss franc, dollar and yen
One strategist said the currencies have "undoubtedly lost some of their sheen," while others warned of more volatility ahead.
cnbc.com
How China's 'unruly' speculators might be fueling the frenzy in gold market
Gold has rarely been this volatile, and the bullion's sharp price swings are increasingly being linked to China's speculative traders, some analysts believe.
cnbc.com
Europe has 'failed' in the face of Trump and Putin's ‘wrecking ball’ politics, top security official says
The head of Europe’s biggest security forum said regional powers were “totally on the sidelines” of major discussions — but that it was their “own fault.”
bbc.com
Hello Kitty designer steps down after 46 years
Yuko Yamaguchi oversaw the feline character's rise to global icon status.
theguardian.com
Will the Epstein files tarnish the reputation of Jamie Dimon, America’s banker?
The final stretch of the JP Morgan Chase chief’s career is a bumpy one, as Trump himself demands prosecutors investigate Epstein’s ties to Dimon’s bank Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘A great wee place’: the small Scottish factory crafting Olympic curling stones
All stones in Cortina are made from granite found on tiny island in Firth of Clyde and crafted in East Ayrshire“It takes 60m years and about six hours to make a curling stone,” shouts Ricky English above the whine of the lathes. The operations manager at Kays Scotland is surrounded by wheels of ancient granite in varying states of refinement.It is a small business with a big responsibility: the only factory in the world to supply the Winter Olympics with curling stones. Competitors don’t travel with their own stones, which weigh about 18kg each, and with 16 required for a game. Instead, this year, 132 stones were crafted in the East Ayrshire town of Mauchline and shipped to northern Italy. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
China's Baidu adds OpenClaw AI into search app for 700 million users ahead of Lunar New Year
Chinese search engine operator Baidu plans Friday to start letting smartphone app users to directly tell OpenClaw AI to perform tasks.
theguardian.com
Gold thief flees scene of the crime on donkey in central Turkey – video
A suspect who broke into a jewellery store using a forklift, allegedly stole 150 grams of gold, and fled the scene on a donkey was arrested in Kayseri, central Turkey. Police teams from the provincial police department identified the suspect after reviewing security camera footage following the incident. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Taylor Swift asks US government to block 'Swift Home' trademark
Her team argued that a bedding firm's designs showed similarities to her trademarked signature.
bbc.com
Rain and politics driving up half-term holiday bookings, travel agents say
The Advantage Travel Partnerships says rain plus the political environment is creating a "powerful psychological need for escape".
bbc.com
The US economy is growing - so where are all the jobs?
As hiring rates and job openings drop, some worry a tough job market could be here to stay.
bbc.com
Get a grip: Robotics firms struggle to develop hands
Developing a durable and affordable hand is one of the biggest challenges in robotics.
bbc.com
US antitrust chief resigns amid tensions with Trump officials
The departure of Gail Slater has raised questions about the White House's approach to policing big mergers and monopolies.
theguardian.com
Ben Jennings on Jim Ratcliffe’s ‘colonisation’ comments – cartoon
Discover and buy more of Ben’s cartoons hereOrder your own print of this cartoon from the Guardian Print Shop Continue reading...
bbc.com
Thousands queue as beauty store arrives on island of Ireland
Almost 2,000 people joined the queue for the opening of a new store in Belfast this morning.
theguardian.com
Ratcliffe backlash: outrage over Manchester United boss comments | The Latest
The Monaco-based billionaire Jim Ratcliffe has said he is sorry that his ‘choice of language has offended some people’, after growing outrage over his comments that the UK was being ‘colonised by immigrants’.The Manchester United co-owner has faced a mounting backlash since making the remarks, which have been labelled hypocritical and reminiscent of ‘far-right narratives’.Lucy Hough speaks to the sports writer and columnist Jonathan Liew. Continue reading...
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Who is billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe and how did he make his money?
The industrialist and Manchester United co-owner has apologised over comments he made about immigration.
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The Bottom Line
Why do private landlords attract so much criticism – and how fair is it?
theguardian.com
‘Another way to gamble money’: booming prediction markets prompt confusion and concern
Polymarket and Kalshi are less regulated than betting sites, but users can win or lose large sums on the platformsYadin Eldar, 21, has been betting on prediction markets since 2019. His friends think he’s “crazy”, he said. But the craze surrounding these platforms is rapidly gathering steam.Users can bet on virtually anything, from the outcome of Sunday’s Super Bowl to whether the US will invade Greenland, every second of every day. Continue reading...
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Inside Will Lewis’s tumultuous two years as publisher of the Washington Post
Before the Post’s sweeping layoffs and Lewis’s abrupt resignation, his tenure was marked by controversy and clashes with staffStanding on the seventh floor in the center of the Washington Post’s open newsroom on the morning of 3 June 2024, publisher Will Lewis decided to deliver some tough love to a news organization he had taken charge of five months earlier.Lewis, a veteran of Rupert Murdoch’s media empire, had replaced Fred Ryan, a former Ronald Reagan aide who had presided over some of the Post’s profitable years – during the first Trump administration – but lost the confidence of some staffers after clashing with employees during a late 2022 town hall. Continue reading...
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Economics has failed on the climate crisis. This complexity scientist has a mind-blowing plan to fix that
Doyne Farmer says a super-simulator of the global economy would accelerate the transition to a green, clean worldIt’s a mind-blowing idea: an economic model of the world in which every company is individually represented, making realistic decisions that change as the economy changes. From this astonishing complexity would emerge forecasts of unprecedented clarity. These would be transformative: no more flying blind into global financial crashes, no more climate policies that fail to shift the dial.This super simulator could be built for what Prof Doyne Farmer calls the bargain price of $100m, thanks to advances in complexity science and computing power. Continue reading...
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The Dutch love four-day working weeks, but are they sustainable?
The Netherlands has the lowest working hours in Europe, but some say it is harming its economy.
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Netflix and Paramount are battling for Warner Bros. Who is likely to win?
What to know about the two firms' blockbuster battle to control Warner Bros Discovery.
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How £50m 'fish disco' could save farmland
Innovative tech scares fish away from nuclear cooling pipes.
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Why food fraud persists, even with improving tech
Even with sophisticated technology it is still difficult to detect fake foods.
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Plane makers chase Asia's super-rich with luxe new private jets
Parts of the aviation industry are shifting towards wealthy customers and selling a more luxurious type of international travel.
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Kids can be the harshest critics…
The candidates test their story on a group of kids.
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Should you overpay your mortgage or save?
Martin Lewis explains.
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The real impact of roadworks on the country - and why they're set to get worse
There is a fine balance between the benefits of improved infrastructure, versus the cost of disruption. Does the country have it right?
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Why the railways often seem to be in such chaos over Christmas
Parts of Britain’s rail network will close for engineering work over the festive period - but is that the right time to do it?
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Budget 2025: What's the best and worst that could happen for Labour?
Three days in, after a tax U-turn and partial climbdown on workers' rights, Laura Kuenssberg looks at what impact Budget week might have.
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Has Britain's budget watchdog become too all-powerful?
Ahead of this week's Budget, some have accused the Office for Budget Responsibility of being a "straitjacket on growth"
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The curious case of why Poundland is struggling during a cost-of-living crisis
Why - in an age where so many of us are feeling the financial pinch - are some budget shops on UK high streets having such a tough time?
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